“Welcome to the 2011 hide memorial FILM ALIVE,” said the evening’s MC, CUTT, holding a guitar. “This is my first ever introduction,” he confessed. Then he launched into a hide quiz to the crowd’s delight. “The winner gets a kiss from Hiroshi!” he announced. “Actually, that’s a lie. I just made it up.”

1. “In 1993, hide made his solo debut with two singles. What was the first? EYES LOVE YOU and…?”

“50% & 50%” answered the chosen girl correctly.

2. “What version of Beauty & Stupid was on the maxi-single Hi-Ho/GOOD BYE?”

“TOKYO SKA PARADISE ORCHESTRA” answered a man in the front row.

3. “hide wore an Indian bindi during his X debut period. Who did he receive it from?”

“From his grandmother!” answered the contestant chosen for her bright yellow hide with Spread Beaver jacket.

Spy movie theme music rolled along with the film reel. Onstage appeared men in yellow hazard suits with red and green tights. Meanwhile, a video within a video revealed the band members, spy style. Each took a shot before their introduction. Keyboards, D.I.E.. Drums, JOE. Manipulator, I.N.A.. Guitar, KIYOSHI. Bass, CHIROLYN. Guitar, PATA. Vocal, guitar, hide. Then came a shot of hide rolling towards the stage on a wheeled platform before the rockstar appeared on the catwalk with a bang!

POSE had the live crowd bopping along cheerfully, various images of hide from pink mohawk to brown mullet keeping them thoroughly entertained. On “POSE,” all hands flew into the air. With images of lemons falling into water, BACTERIA kept up the hype. Lurking through the instrumental while D.I.E. and CHIROLYN jammed away, hide combed his hair before personally finishing up the number. Then the aggressiveness hit the roof with DAMAGE, hide toting a laser gun and sighting above the crowd with it. “You took the best parts of my life,” he accused in song.

The famed go-go dancers appeared for Bearty & Stupid, some in school girl outfits with bunny ears. hide broke out his guitar while the crowd had the time of their lives. Then he tossed the instrument, his staff catching it and causing both crowds to breathe a sigh of relief. With some of the dancers swimming around in certain footage, the number had a definite feel of “Summer” to it. “This PSYENCE A GO GO tour is for us young seven,” hide announced. Then red warning lights appeared all over the stage, hide’s pink hair positively glowing in the ultra violet light during genkai haretsu. KIYOSHI joined hide for a guitar duet and the live crowd put either their heads or hands into it along with their hearts. Integrated footage then showed a go-go dancer being raised into the air, onscreen video pinning hide as the culprit on the ropes even though he was clearly onstage. Talk about a prankster.

Cafe Le Psyence began with a piano solo courtesy of D.I.E. as hide made a show of brushing himself down, pulling out a comb to spruce up his hair. “Welcome. Welcome all,” hide began. “Thank you for choosing Cafe Le Psyence. This Cafe that has done business for over a month will close down today. I, the manager, Matsumoto, am very grateful for your patronage.” In came FLAME, green lazers through the introduction giving way to a green wash as hide picked up his guitar, giving a very reserved performance as he concentrated on the message in the lyrics. The world turned red as the guitar turned heavy, and then… “Thank you.” The sentiment was greeted with applause as D.I.E. finished up prettily.

Hi-Ho then altered the scene to a festive mood with PATA on acoustic guitar. The crowd’s arms waved in time as they sang “Hi-Ho” on hide’s cue. As PATA ripped out a psychedelic solo, hide went for a wander before pushing the guitarist away and stealing his pedals to alter the sound. Acting like an old man, he teased the crowd. “I can see that girl down there,” he said. “I can see ya’ll up there. One, ni(2), ichi(1), two, four, JOE!” counted hide in a roundabout mix of English and Japanese. As controlled as ever, JOE started off hard, then quietened down, causing the crowd to yell out. In response, he built back up, garnering cheers onscreen and off. Then, he did the unthinkable, and conducted a drums battle… with himself. A video of JOE played against the real thing, even going so far as to sync a duet making for one of the most entertaining drum solos of all time. Rounding it up, both JOEs high-fived the cymbals in utter coordination. “JOE!” yelled hide. Then CHIROLYN counted the previous number back in. “One. Two. One-two, one-two, one two three!” The acoustic refrain of Hi-Ho was a perfect cap to the drum solo, building up into full sound, PATA wailing an amazing solo before KIYOSHI backed it up with an acoustic solo. Colourful, skimpy dancing girls followed hide down the catwalk, the live crowd grooving and dancing as if at a club. “Thank You” hide called to cheers and applause.

“I wanted to do a duet, so I made this song but I’m the only singer in the band, so I had to make a recording. But Rosanna-san is here!” With the announcement, a swing floated a "mystery man" in drag to play the part of hide’s lady partner. The two sang into megaphones before executing some box steps with KIYOSHI and PATA. Then hide announced, “I’m looking for a dog” to strike up LASSIE. “I’m not good at making plans, but just this once I want people to say I am,” the rockstar rambled. “I was told to look for the dog in my heart.” CHIROLYN began barking like a Chihuahua, hide joining in, barking in rhythm as the music began. So the number continued with many doggie hi-jinks until hide wrapped it up with a howl for the camera.

“This next song was written before I had any idea I would wind up in a place like this,” hide announced. “Thank you all.” His loose chatting style managed to convey gratitude whilst keeping the crowd smiling and grinning, always positive. MISERY brought balloons down on the crowd as little parachutes fell in the video. Hands and balloons tapped the air in time with the music and wide applause befell Club Citta as the crowd favourite came to an end. Then hide told the crowd, “It’s strange for me to be up here talking in front of all of you.” The personal insight led into TELL ME, hide’s cheerful but honest expression reaching both sets of fans as they sang along with him in the chorus. Then the view cut to the crowd, lots of kids and people dancing about to the music of OEDO COWBOYS which CHIROLYN watched on a TV in the dressing room, with hide getting his make-up fixed up in the background. A deafening roar resounded as he returned to the stage.

The scene switched to ERASE, hide’s now yellow jacket ripped off in strips as he yelled, revealing an orange outfit beneath that only just out-shined KIYOSHI’s orange hair. With a wild feel, ERASE fired up the crowd ideally for DOUBT, KIYOSHI headbanging to kick it off. Hands tucked between his thighs, hide crouched through the instrumental. “I know… you haven’t had enough fun yet. I know… you want Summer to last longer. Only I know… PATA’s a woman,” hide listed off as fact, the guitarist in question offering zero reaction to the statement. “Not enough fun! Let’s play more! Be careful when you play!” hide cried, launching into OBLAAT. Taking off down the runway, he sang out in that fabled hide twang. Then came the mayhem. hide with a pink and yellow umbrella, hide throwing anything he could get his hands on, CHIROLYN throwing his bass, KIYOSHI held up on a staff members shoulders as he played, hide wandering about with a basket on his head, a crash dummy of D.I.E., hide taking a hose and spraying the crowd and CHIROLYN trying to escape to no avail as KIYOSHI pushed and kicked him down the runway… Then CHIROLYN got his hands on the hose, hide stealing it back while D.I.E. rolley-polleyed away. There was exciting footage of CHIROLYN in the crowd, completely mobbed as the staff fought off the adoring fans and then the unthinkable… PATA grinning with pure joy. Shots of KIYOSHI crawling and CHIROLYN sticking hide’s fire extinguisher between his legs brought the crazy ride to an end. “Don’t catch a cold now,” came the warning.

TV screens with political commentary lit the stage. “Oi, turn off that political crap,” hide complained. The view switched to baseball. “Ichi(1), two, san(3), yon(4), ni(2), san(3)!” hide counted, carrying a bottle as D.O.D. began. Pulling a man in a suit up onstage, he got the poor fellow sculling, the lyrics inherently encouraging him and proving the number to be the ultimate party song. Then it was time for a chat. “I have a souvenir story for you all, Tokyo.” The story turned out to be an anecdote called “D.I.E.’s Tragedy” about D.I.E. jumping offstage and being unable to stand. It turned out that he had put his back out and had to be carted away in an ambulance. That said, the song continued, then shifting into DICE with hide on guitar playing a duet beside KIYOSHI. hide’s manipulation of the camera was nothing short of amazing as he often looked straight into the lens to matter how far away it might be. “As unexpected as it is, I’m grateful to be able to stand here in front of so many people. I have no hobbies but this music. Thank you to the management who put up with my hobby and of course to all of you who enable it.” With close-ups on hide’s serious expression, GOOD BYE wound up the evening, lights fluttering over the intently listening crowd. Gorgeous drums and acoustic guitar set the mood, hide looking around with a sweet smile as he sang. As the crowd onscreen cheered, the live crowd stood entranced. Then hide thanked the band one by one. “Thank you for the blue sky. See you again soon. Bye bye.”

The encore rolled on immediately with the PV of ROCKET DIVE, the crowd pumping fists with fervour until the very end. Screaming “hide!” they refused to acknowledge the end of the event. Luckily, they didn’t have to as Rock Musical "PINK SPIDER" then took over the stage, defspiral rocking the house with their hardcore version of PINK SPIDER. “Hey, Kawasaki! Whoo!” shouted vocalist TAKA. The contrast of TAKA’s deep voice to hide’s twang served to emphasize the power of live performance, even as a chorus member from the musical break-danced onstage in character as the PINK SPIDER itself.

Following the number, TAKA called out the whole cast, leading man Shinji Takeda appearing with his saxophone in hand. “Hello. We performed in the musical "PINK SPIDER" written only with hide’s music. Just by singing that music, we were able to overcome many troubles,” he announced.

“I’m thrilled that we could be here with you all today,” exclaimed the alternate hero, Gota Watabe.

Leading lady Hitomi Takahashi let out a yell. “I’ve never done that before!” she said, flushed with excitement.

As TAKA began to speak, Shinji Takeda whipped out the sax and jammed. “Shall we do it, Kawasaki? Stay with us till the very end!” cried the vocalist. “ever free!”

Dancing around and having fun, the cast looked as thrilled as the crowd, Hitomi Takahashi singing harmony while Shinji Takeda wailed on the sax all through the number. A video from the musical featured LUNA SEA’s J in his brief role before switching to hide’s PV. Gota Watabe pulled out an acoustic guitar, he and Hitomi Takahashi singing to each other as in the show while TAKA persevered micless, singing out to the crowd. Streamers then burst out over the crowd, “Thanxx” appearing on the screen. However, it wasn’t over, screams for hide only inflamed by Shinji Takeda’s chant of “hide, hide, hide… Thank you! I didn’t get to ask earlier, but what did you guys think of PINK SPIDER Musical? J couldn’t be here today but he said he wants to see hide’s music run free because they’re such great songs. So let’s think of this as the first instalment!” Shinji Takeda’s charisma and enthusiasm had the whole crowd promising to come along to the next round of the musical. “Wow, if you’re that excited, should we do one more song?” he suggested. “Should we? Will we? Let’s go!” agreed TAKA.

With more musical footage and Shinji Takeda wailing on the sax once more, the cast sang ROCKET DIVE, Gota Watabe and TAKA sharing the spotlight. When it was over, TAKA shook hands with Shinji Takeda and the crowd began to yell for hide once more. Onscreen came an announcement for CLUB PSYENCE 2011 with dates in June and August promising for an exciting summer.

With plenty more hide fun to look forward to, the memorial event came to an end, most faces featuring smiles instead of tears.

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